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Topic: My Mozzarella Dried out (Read 1797 times)

Hello everyone, I am new to this cheese making endeavor since I got my goats. I have been trying to make goats milk mozzarella and have had mixed results. Anyway, I was in a hurry the other day (not good I know) and made a batch of mozzarella, stretched formed into balls and stuck it in my cheese fridge. Forgot about it until today and now have 3 very dried out balls of mozz.... I shredded some of it and it still melted ok but I wonder how I can make a mozz that will keep longer than a couple days in the fridge, I also have some mozz that I have in water and brine in the kitchen fridge but its all soggy. How can I make mozz that will keep for a while in liquid like what you buy in the store? Also, I know you can wax and age cheeses like cheddar but is there a way to keep a cheese like mozz long term? Thank you all for the great info, I've been lurking here for ages and finally registered so that i can ask a question

My experience is that Motz should be eating pretty fresh. I only brine mine for a few hours and then wrap it really tightly in plastic wrap. That said, I can't remember it lasting more than a couple of weeks before the sharks (that would be my kids) eat it. Of course, you could always give it to your friends and suffer the Ooos and Aaahhs that come with given hand made cheese.

Are you making the "traditional" ripened style of mozzarella, or the quick citric acid version? Presumably the cultured one would last longer. I've been experimenting with this recently, as I would prefer to keep them in a weak brine than wrapped in plastic, but was having the same problem with them going soggy after 4 or 5 days. So my theory was that if I over-knead to make them hard & rubbery to start with, then they will soften up to an ideal texture after a few days (whereas if I make them a good texture initially, they end up getting too soft when stored in brine). Early days yet, but it seems to be working.

Thanks everyone for the advice. I shredded and ate the mozz that dried out and they turned out ok.. I will definitely look into freezing the extras in the future. When you all keep it in the fridge to store it do you keep it in just water, or brine or whey or what to keep it from drying out? For the freezer? I ask because when I buy mozz at the store, it is often in water... hmmm lots to consider.